Parliamentary questions
Gil Paterson
788 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the National Group on Domestic Abuse will examine the issue of partner rape and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The definition of domestic abuse contained in the National Strategy to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland includes rape by a partner or ex-partner. It is therefore within the remit of the National Group which is implementing the strategy.
29 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commission research similar to the report by Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, A report on the Joint Inspection into the Investigation and Prosecution of Cases Involving Allegations of Rape, and what the r…
Answer · Jim Wallace: We have no plans to conduct research into the investigation and prosecution of cases involving allegations of rape. The Scottish Executive is, however, working with the police to review existing guidance on the investigation of complaints of sexual assault in…
29 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will follow up on the recommendation to complete a more detailed study into the reasons for the low prosecution and conviction rates for rape, made in the pilot study The 'Attrition` of Sexual Offences in the Criminal Justice System, and what the reasons are for its position on…
Answer · Jim Wallace: We are reviewing the need for more detailed research in this area. In the meantime we hope that the provisions of the Sexual Offences (Procedure and Evidence) Act 2002, which will be brought into force before the end of the year, will improve the way in which…
29 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been carried out specifically on the investigation, prosecution and conviction of rape cases in Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: No further research has been carried out by the Scottish Executive specifically on the investigation, prosecution and conviction of rape cases in Scotland since the Jamieson and Burman report <I>The Attrition of Sexual Offences in the Criminal Justice System<…
12 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26576 by Cathy Jamieson on 2 July 2002, what resources are available to support vulnerable young people who have been involved in the sex industry.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Resources are available from statutory and voluntary organisations to support vulnerable young people. This will include support for young people who have been involved in the sex industry but these resources are not separately identified. Examples of the kin…
12 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26919 by Cathy Jamieson on 31 July 2002, whether it has any plans to carry out research into links between child abuse and prostitution.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The need for additional information on children abused through prostitution is one of the issues being considered by the Working Group on Young Runaways and Children Abused through Prostitution
12 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports of children being involved in prostitution have been made to each police force in each of the last three years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested cannot be separately distinguished in the recorded crime statistics collected centrally because there are a range of offences in Scots Law which the police could record following a report of a child being involved in prostitution.
12 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26920 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 July 2002, who made the representations, what the details of each were and what action it plans to take in respect of the representations.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Representations expressing concern over reports that the company Spearmint Rhino would be opening establishments in Scotland were received in writing by the Health Minister from Scottish Women's Aid and from a constituent writing as a private individual, whos…
12 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many rapes were reported in each of the last five years and how many such cases resulted in prosecution broken down by (a) police force and (b) procurator fiscal area.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The available information on crimes of rape, which were recorded by the police, and on persons proceeded against in court where rape was the main offence, is given in the following tables. Data by procurator fiscal area are not available.<P>Crimes recorded by…
4 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop a public education campaign which alerts the public to the danger of sexual assaults from acquaintances as distinct from strangers.
Answer · Richard Simpson: There are no plans to develop such a campaign. However, the guidance "Talking Sense", referred to in the answer given to question S1W-27354 today, contains a section on violence within the family which provides advice to women who are in danger of b…
4 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it provides to the public on reducing the risk of suffering sexual assaults and where any such advice is available.
Answer · Richard Simpson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27354.
4 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what publications it has produced aimed at helping the public reduce the risk of suffering a sexual assault in each of the last three years.
Answer · Richard Simpson: Guidance on women's safety continues to be provided through "Talking Sense", which offers a range of strategies and advice to women at home, at work, in the street and travelling. By providing ideas on forward planning it aims to make those at risk feel more …
4 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22050 by Dr Richard Simpson on 1 February 2002, when it expects the working group carrying out the strategic assessment on the wider issue of drug-related sexual assault to report.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The working group, led by the Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency, has produced its strategic assessment and guidance document for investigators on drug-assisted sexual assault. The document is being issued to all Scottish police forces to assist with their inv…
3 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people convicted for rape in each of the last five years had previous convictions.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information available is shown in the following table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=567><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=4 HEIGHT=16><P>Persons With a Charge Proved Where Main Crime Was Rape, 1996 to 2000</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="12%" VALIGN=…
3 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in how many rape cases drugs were found to be involved in each of the last five years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Information at the level of detail requested is not collected centrally.
3 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many rapes took place where there was a prior relationship between victim and offender in each of the last five years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Information at the level of detail requested is not collected centrally.
3 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many rapes took place between (a) 6am and 6pm, (b) 6pm and midnight and (c) midnight and 6am in each of the last five years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Information at the level of detail requested is not collected centrally.
3 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports of rapes involved a weapon being used in the commission of the crime in each of the last five years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Information at the level of detail requested is not collected centrally.
3 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of reported rapes occurred (a) at the victim's home, (b) at a friend's, neighbour's, or relative's home, (c) on a street away from the victim's home, (d) at a parking lot or garages and (e) in all other locations, in each of the last five years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Information at the level of detail requested is not collected centrally.
3 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information is collected centrally regarding sexual assaults.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Information is collected centrally on sexual assaults in the recorded crime statistics, which are collected as an aggregate quarterly return from the eight police forces in Scotland. The returns give the total number of crimes recorded and cleared up by the p…
3 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued to the police regarding the investigation of alleged sexual assaults.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Departmental guidance has been issued to Chief Constables on the Investigation of Complaints of Sexual Assault and covers related matters such as medical examinations, the importance of using experienced female interviewing officers, and developing in-force t…
1 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will involve the Rape Crisis Network or other organisations involved in working with victims of sexual assault in providing information, guidance and training to prosecutors and the judiciary.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Judicial education is a matter for the independent Judicial Studies Committee who propose to run courses and provide material on sexual crimes and procedure to coincide with the Sexual Offences (Procedure and Evidence) (Scotland) Act. I have drawn the terms o…
1 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what amounts and percentage of the changing children's services fund have been allocated in the current financial year to (a) statutory, (b) voluntary and (c) partnership projects, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Allocations for each local authority area (2002-03) are noted in the table. Proposals have been received against all 32 allocations. The overall aim of the Changing Children's Service Fund is to encourage better integration of all resources available for chil…
1 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Sexual Offender Strategy and Implementation Group will report.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The report of the Review Group on the Future Management of Sex Offenders (the Spencer Report) was received at the end of June 2002. I will wish to take the opportunity to read the fairly substantial report and consider its conclusions. It is my intention to m…
1 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is meant by high, medium and low risk as detailed in the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Jim Wallace: This is the measure against which an assessment can be made of the level of risk an offender being at large presents to the public. Under the arrangements proposed in the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill, if an offender is convicted of a relevant offence and …
1 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources will be provided to ensure that the recommendations made in the report of the Expert Panel on Sex Offending, Reducing the Risk: Improving the Response to Sex Offending, are implemented.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The main thrust of the recommendations is to build on existing best practice. Many of them can be taken forward as part of the existing or planned initiatives of the key agencies which are involved. There are no major changes envisaged, rather a series of sma…
1 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what timescale has been set for the production of the material recommended in the report of the Expert Panel on Sex Offending, Reducing the Risk: Improving the Response to Sex Offending.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Many of the materials will be produced as part of on-going initiatives and some have been produced already, for instance:<P>The Scottish Executive has produced a leaflet that provides parents with information on which to base decisions about child safety in g…
1 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will evaluate the Safe from Harm initiative in Fife with a view to extending it throughout Scotland.
Answer · Richard Simpson: The Safe from Harm initiative is part of a wider child safety awareness raising campaign being run by Fife Child Protection Committee. The Executive is part funding the campaign with Fife Council and the committee was awarded £20,000 in February 2001 under th…
1 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the teaching of issues surrounding child sexual abuse and domestic violence will be made mandatory in schools.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: In Scotland, the curriculum is not prescribed by statute and delivery is a matter for local authorities and schools. The Scottish Executive's policy is to ensure that guidance to education authorities and schools and the framework of national qualifications p…
1 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the steering group to take forward the recommendations in the report of the Expert Panel on Sex Offending, Reducing the Risk: Improving the Response to Sex Offending, will be set up and who will be part of this group.
Answer · Jim Wallace: It is intended that the steering group will meet for the first time in the autumn. It will be chaired by the head of the Criminal Justice Group in the Justice Department and will involve representatives from the Crown Office, local authorities, the police, th…